Other Names:  Perennial Salvia, Meadow Clary, Meadow Sage

Group/Class:  Fashion Series

Description:

Masses of intense cherry red blooms emerge on strong stems above neatly mounded foliage; vigorous upright habit; a beautiful addition to borders or beds; looks fantastic in containers; excellent heat and drought tolerance

Ornamental Features

Fashion™ Cherry Sage has masses of beautiful spikes of cherry red flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Fashion™ Cherry Sage is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Fashion™ Cherry Sage is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Fashion™ Cherry Sage will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Fashion™ Cherry Sage is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.